REVIEW: DC Direct's 13" Classic Batman and Robin

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I love the modern Batman. I’m all about the post “Dark Knight Returns” brooding guy. The one who can’t get over his demons and lives in a city infested with homicidal freaks. But I grew up with a different Batman. A Batman I saw on TV played by Adam West and animated on Superfriends (not to mention the truly horrible New Adventures of Batman and Robin). A Batman that smiled. And I love that Batman too.

That’s the era represented by these two new 13" figures from DC Direct. Classic Batman hit stores before the holidays, but I held off until I saw this month’s release of Robin. They were inseparable back then and they are now.

Batman is mainly a reworking of the modern Batman from last spring. The muscular body has been used for everyone, from Superman to the Flash. I like how the pumped body causes the right ripples in the spandex. But I hate some of the clunky articulation. There is no way to pose his bicep and thigh swivels without looking unnatural and causing runs in the tights. The movements are a bit stiff and the wrist joints and bendy hands are awful. For a $70 figure, it’s unacceptable.

Batman’s head sculpt at first looks like a repaint. But closer examination reveals many subtle changes. The ears are considerably longer and the mask shape is pulled back from the cheeks, cropping closer to the chin. The texture has also been removed from the mask giving it a flatter, sleeker look. The eyes seem to be the same but the paint change from silver to white opens them up. Overall, it’s as much work as could be done without an entirely new head. The flat black forehead leaves a Silver Age stamp on the figure, but I’d rather it wasn’t there. I prefer the Bronze Age where the black was created by shadows rather than the mask design.

The costume is a brighter shade of grey than the modern version and a tighter weave which is hopefully more resilient. Bruce also ditches the leather look of the modern cape for a fabric one. I wish it was longer, but again I’m a fan of the Bronze Age sweeping Neal Adams look. The gauntlet spikes are modified from the original version too, tapered rather than square. The capsule utility belt is iconic, improbable and great. It looks removable but I was afraid of breaking the clasp so mine has stayed put.

Batman has only one reused accessory; a foldable batarang. Everything else is brand new, including Bat cuffs and a super keen grapple. Of course, he has no way to hold them between his sculpted fists and lame bendy hands.

Robin uses a new body. It finally improves the awkward bicep swivel by moving it up to the shoulder and under the sleeve. The more homophobic fans may be put off by his nearly bottomless costume, but it’s a look he had for nearly fifty years. They should probably get over it. I’m more bothered by the quality of the plastic. A strong enough light will shine right through his calves. I assumed at this price, he’d be more solid. At least the red tunic is a separate piece from the green sleeves. That’s a nice touch I’ve never seen with Robin before.

He comes with two removable masks, black and green. One of the versions should have had the white eyes but they’re still decent, giving Robin a George Perez Teen Titans look. It fits great but I worry how secure it’s fixed. If it were ever to fall off, it would ruin the look of the figure (and I doubt I’d ever find it again!) The green mask isn’t as elegant, grabbing too much attention and detracting from the rest of the costume. It’s going right back in the box.

Robin doesn’t reuse any of Batman’s accessories. He comes with his own grappling hook, which is spring-loaded to convert into a ‘X’ shape. (it’s still not as cool as Batman’s). And finally DC Direct has given us hands designed to hold the accessories. Nice try on the bendy idea, but it’s time to let it go. Too bad they didn’t do it for Batman.

The one accessory both share are the stands. And I hate them. They’re inflexible and look designed simply to tear the fabric tights. Mine are on more forgiving Sideshow stands.

This is a fantastic set, if not without flaws. I originally skipped the Classic Batman since I already had the modern version, but once Robin was released, I needed both. I was pleasantly surprised to find the classic Batman is almost all-new and Robin is the best they’ve produced. Buying 1:6 scale is rare for me and these two figures are a rare treat.

Review and Photos by Jon Clarke